CNN Mission: Peace

U.S. troop flow gaining momentum

Begosh evacuated

Serbs accused of abducting civilians;
wounded U.S. soldier begins trip home

Jim Clancy

January 2, 1996
Web posted at: 11:55 a.m. EST (1655 GMT)

From Correspondent Jim Clancy and wire reports

BOSNIA-CROATIA BORDER (CNN) -- As the pace of U.S. troops entering Bosnia sped up Tuesday (213K AIFF sound or 213K WAV sound), the Bosnian government accused Serb foes of abducting 14 civilians in defiance of the peace agreement, which allows free movement across former front lines.

Meanwhile, the first American casualty -- wounded in a land mine explosion Saturday -- was airlifted from a military field hospital in Croatia to Hungary. (493K QuickTime movie)

M-109 Howitzer

Mobile artillery units were among the first to roll south into Bosnia on Tuesday, beginning a steady stream of military vehicles to cross a pontoon bridge over the Sava River. Overnight, U.S. Army engineers reinforced road links around the bridge (179K AIFF sound or 179K WAV sound). The path has been weakened by the weight of the vehicles, which dug up mounds of mud and slowed movement over the bridge on Monday.

Only 50 vehicles could cross Monday -- about a third of Sunday's traffic. Fewer than 1,000 troops have made the crossing. The United States has committed 20,000 soldiers to a NATO-led effort totaling 60,000.


Missing civilians

In Sarajevo, a Bosnian government official said three people were detained in Serb-held areas near the capital on New Year's Day. The official said 11 others allegedly were dragged from their vehicles last week while traveling through Ilidza, a western suburb held by hard-line separatist Serbs.

NATO said it could not confirm any kidnappings, reported to have occurred on roads just opened by peacekeepers. Spokesmen said NATO had no responsibility for investigating the disappearances, which they called a civilian police matter.

U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry, who arrived Tuesday at Aviano air base in Italy, said it would be premature to predict a lasting reconciliation between Muslims, Serbs and Croats in the divided country.

Aviano locater

Aviano is a transit center for some of the Bosnia-bound U.S. aircraft, troops and equipment. Perry, accompanied by Gen. John Shalikashvili, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited with allied fliers who are flying cover for the Bosnia operation.

Perry and Shalikashvili are to travel to Hungary later on Tuesday to visit with U.S. support troops at Taszar Air Base and at the nearby rail center of Kaposvar. They will go to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo and the U.S. military headquarters at Tuzla in northern Bosnia on Wednesday.


On the mend

damaged humvee

Holding an American flag and wearing the Purple Heart he was awarded for being wounded on duty, Spc. Martin John Begosh was carried by stretcher Tuesday to a waiting helicopter at the 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit in Zupanja, Croatia, about a mile from the Sava River bridge. He was then taken to Hungary.

Doctors said he should make a full recovery from leg and foot injuries.

The land mine blast blew the front off Begosh's jeep-like Humvee and smashed his leg. After further treatment at Landstuhl military hospital in Germany, doctors said, it is possible Begosh will be home in Rockville, Maryland, by January 20, the day of his sister's wedding.

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Copyright 1996 Cable News Network, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.



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